Winding limp flexible material

ABSTRACT

A package of limp material is wound on the inside of a rotating drum or container having an opening in its wall substantially centrally of its length by feeding the material while conveyed by a current of air through and out of a tube which extends into an opening in one end of the drum which is reciprocated back and forth. The ratio between the number of rotations of the drum per unit of time and the number of reciprocations of the tube is substantially equal to an integral multiple of one-half, so that the limp material is laid up inside the drum in a series of figure-8 bights. The relative speeds of rotation and reciprocation are varied at one point in each layer of bights so as to leave a radial hole in the package opposite the hole in the container through which the inner end of the material is paid out for twistless payout. The container is foraminous and a suction is applied to the outside to assist in laying the material in the inside of the wall.

United States Patent Primary Examiner-Stanley N. GilreathAnorney-iennings Bailey, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A package of limp material is wound on the inside of arotating drum or container having an opening in its wall substantiallycentrally of its length by feeding the material while conveyed by acurrent of air through and out of a tube which extends into an openingin one end of the drum which is reciprocated back and forth. The ratiobetween the number of rotations of the drum per unit of time and thenumber of reciprocations of the tube is substantially equal to anintegral multiple of one-half, so that the limp material is laid upinside the drum in a series of figure-8 bights. The relative speeds ofrotation and reciprocation are varied at one point in each layer ofbights so as to leave a radial hole in the package opposite the hole inthe container through which the inner end of the material is paid outfor twistless payout. The container is foraminous and a suction isapplied to the outside to assist in laying the material in the inside ofthe wall.

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I a s WINDING LIMP FLEXIBLE MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION paidout is known from the patent to Taylor No. 2,634,922.

The formation of a helical wind on the inside of a drum, by producingrelative rotation between the drum and a reciprocating feeding tube, isshown in the patent to Sternberg, No. 3,372,455.

The Sternberg package is intended either to be withdrawn from thecontainer after its formation or to be pulled out through the centralopening, which will result in a substantial twist being formed ifsubstantial lengths of material are withdrawn from the package.

While the type of package shown in the Taylor patent is extremely usefulfor many commercial purposes, it has the disadvantage that it must bedoffed from the spindle after its production, and must likewise beplaced within a protective enclosure if it is to be shipped or handledto any degree.

PRIOR APPLICATIONS This application is related to applicants priorapplication aer. No. 589,577, filed Oct. 26, I968, for Winding FlexibleMaterial.

That application discloses the winding of springy elongated material,such as wire or monofilament nylon, while the present applicationrelates to a package of limp material such as multifilament nylon,cotton thread or the like, and an arrangement for producing such apackage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method ofproducing a package of limp material by feeding it into the interior ofa rotating drum provided'with an opening in its wall substantiallymidway of its length, through a tube which is reciprocatedlengthwiseof'the drum slightly out of phase with the rotation of the drum so as tolay up on the inside of the drum a series of layers formed of figure-8bights the crossovers of which progress around the package. The relativespeed of the drum and the tube is varied once in each layer so as toleave a radial opening through the package wall into the interiorthereof at a point opposite the opening in the drum. The flexiblematerial is fed along the tube by a current of air passing through thetube. The container is foraminous and a suction is applied to theoutside to assist in laying the material in the inside of the wall.

The package which results isparticularly advantageous because it can beshipped within the drum and protected thereby, which reduces the amountof handling required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I shows in cross section a package according to the invention and;

FIG. 2 shows a machine for producing the package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT into and out of the container 6through the partially closed upper end 7. A strip 14 of limp material lswithdrawn from a roll 16 and passes through the tube. On the outside ofthe tube is a manifold 18, from which extend downwardly slanted openings20 which communicate with the interior of the tube 10. The manifoldconnects through a flexible pipe 22 with a pump 24 or other source ofair under pressure. Near to but spaced fromthe bottom or inner end ofthe tube 10 are air escape slots 26.

The tube is reciprocated by a motor 28 driving a heartshaped cam 30which engages rollers 32 carried by a reciprocating member 24 slidablemounted in bearing 36 and connected at 38 to the tube 10.

A counter 39 counts the revolutions of the motor 28, and at periodicintervals activates the switch 40 of the motor so as to stop therotation thereof. This latter feature is used only if it is desired towind a package with an opening therethrough, so as to pay out atwistless line.

The air is constantly supplied to the pipe 10 as it is reciprocated soas to force the limp flexible material down through the pipe and causeit to be deposited on the interior of the drum 6.

The package produced is shown in FIG. 1. It includes the coil or windingof limp flexible material, which, because of the stopping of the motor28 at periodic intervals which causes the strip to feed substantiallycircumferentially leaves an opening 44 in the package opposite theopening 8, through which the free inner end 46 of the material may bedrawn out.

The pump 24 is driven at such a speed that the air tends to move thematerial 14 at a greater speed than the speed at which it is taken in byrotation of the container 6. As a result, the material is under somecompression as it is laid in the can, andthis compression is maintained,so that there is no tendency for the material to collapse inwardly andinterfere with proper withdrawal.

It is also of assistance in the handling of limp material to subject itto outwardly directed suction as it is being laid within the container6. For this purpose, the container is provided with a large number ofsmall holes 48 in its sidewall, and is thus foraminous. In order toapply suction to the outside of the container 6 it is held in chamber 50carried by the holder 2, which through opening 52 communicates with theinterior of a manifold 54 which is stationary and within which theholder 50 rotates. Manifold 54 is connected by a pipe 56 to a source ofsuction. It is supported on the frame 58 which likevi ise holds thebearings 60 for the shaft of motor 4.

I claim:

l. A method of producing a package of limp material in a cylindricalcontainer having an opening in the side thereof comprising feeding thematerial into the container, producing such relative movement betweenthe material and the container as to lay up on the interior of thecontainer a series of figure-8 bights of the material, and maintainingsuch material under longitudinal compression in the direction in whichit is laid during the formation of the package, rotating said container,guiding said material in movement axially of the container from end toend thereof, and interrupting the relative axial movement of thematerial and rotation of the container atone point so as to form aradial opening through the layers of the material aligned with theopening in the container.

2. A machine for winding a flexible elongated material comprising meansfor holding a cylindrical container open at one end and having at leastone opening substantially midway of its length, means for feedingflexible material endwise into the interior of the container through theopen end, and means to produce such relative movement between thecontainer and the material as to lay the material on the inside wall ofthe container in layers each comprising a series of figure-8 bights,said feeding means including means to feed the material into thecontainer under longitudinal pressure so as to maintain the materialwithin the container in compression exerting a force on the interiorwall of the container, and means to vary the relative movement at leastonce in each layer to form a radial container 4. A machine as claimed inclaim 3, in which the tube has at least one opening therein close to butspaced from its inner end.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the sidewall of thecontainer is foraminated, and means for applying a suction to theoutside of the sidewall.

1. A method of producing a package of limp material in a cylindricalcontainer having an opening in the side thereof comprising feeding thematerial into the container, producing such relative movement betweenthe material and the container as to lay up on the interior of thecontainer a series of figure-8 bights of the material, and maintainingsuch material under longitudinal compression in the direction in whichit is laid during the formation of the package, rotating said container,guiding said mAterial in movement axially of the container from end toend thereof, and interrupting the relative axial movement of thematerial and rotation of the container atone point so as to form aradial opening through the layers of the material aligned with theopening in the container.
 2. A machine for winding a flexible elongatedmaterial comprising means for holding a cylindrical container open atone end and having at least one opening substantially midway of itslength, means for feeding flexible material endwise into the interior ofthe container through the open end, and means to produce such relativemovement between the container and the material as to lay the materialon the inside wall of the container in layers each comprising a seriesof figure-8 bights, said feeding means including means to feed thematerial into the container under longitudinal pressure so as tomaintain the material within the container in compression exerting aforce on the interior wall of the container, and means to vary therelative movement at least once in each layer to form a radial openingopposite the opening in the container to allow the inner end of thematerial to be drawn out through the openings for twistless payout.
 3. Amachine as claimed in claim 2 for winding limp material in which saidfeeding means comprises a tube movable inward and outward through anopen end of the container, means to reciprocate the tube, and means tosupply a current of air through the tube directed towards the interiorof the container.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the tubehas at least one opening therein close to but spaced from its inner end.5. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the sidewall of thecontainer is foraminated, and means for applying a suction to theoutside of the sidewall.